Friday, January 04, 2008

Don't fight the music

Yesterday, F’s aunt (one of them) took him to the music shop where her friends work.

He had a blast.

He got to play all the guitars in the shop, one by one. He had a go on the electronic music mixer. He made friends with the girl behind the counter.

The boys all thought he was great. They were very impressed that he could play real songs.

F’s aunt bought him a CD single. It was ‘Apologise’ by Timbaland. A bit of a departure from his recent rock songs (ACDC, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple). But he’s been singing the song for days. He must be expanding his tastes.

Last night, I played him his single on my laptop a few times before bed. He sang along earnestly, eyes half-closed, intently watching the computer screen, as if staring into the eyes of the music.

He’d been in bed for just a few minutes when he got up and joined me at my desk.

‘Mum,’ he said. ‘I can’t stop thinking about music.’

I would usually tell him to go back to bed, that he hasn’t even tried to go to sleep yet. But instead, last night I decided to go with it.

‘Would you like to listen to your song in bed? Would you like me to make you a bedtime playlist on iTunes?’‘Oh, yes PLEASE Mum!’‘Come on, let’s see what Nana has in her CD collection.’

I took him by the hand, enjoying the sensation of his little fingers curled around mine as we climbed the stairs. I’m aware that he won’t want to hold my hand much longer. Do Grade Three boys hold hands with their mothers?

Upstairs, I made another discovery when F excitedly grabbed my mother’s CD by The Fray, who I’d never heard of. He made a note to listen to Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’, another favourite, tomorrow, as it was ‘too rock’ for bedtime.

It took me about ten minutes or so to load up the new songs and make a bedtime playlist, including The Verve’s ‘Bittersweet Symphony’.

I was rewarded with a big hug as I left the room and returned to my desk, just outside his door, with my laptop plugged in by his bedside.

zuqfmYes, we love our boys... T won't hold my hand much any more, and a kiss in the daytime is an abomination, but he will still blow me kisses from his bunk and insists I still attend him at bedtime (supposed to be tucking him in, but he doesn't really need that in this doona age, but it's not reallly about tucking in stuff is it.)

There is another achey sort of love as they start to grow up and try to boss you around. I found a lovely image from Russia or somewhere via Jahteh - will dig around to see if I can find it!

It's funny how the youngsters are still getting into Greenday. I would have thought Greenday would have moved on with the crowd 5 years ago. My daughter loves her American Idiot CD & t-shirt. I'm just glad she hates teeny pop-crap.You seem to be developing a youngster with a modicum of taste, as well.